Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[lovestotravel]

Yeh that surprised me (12 months ago) that with a snack meal or even lunch (from memory) you get a great dessert.

Yet with dinner you get 2 balls

 

[serfty]

I've never been offered alcohol pre-flight on the ground on a QF 737 in J (Or VA 737 in J)- ...

I have ... QF21 used to have a mainly 737 tag MEL-SYD in the evenings before heading off to Narita; a Business class fare would have the water/OJ/Bubbles pre flightoption.

I enjoyed the bubbles quite a few times.

 

[dzinh]

It's rare that I fly after 4pm so I wouldn't have experience with the dinner service but from hearing comments form flyer's here then it doesn't make sense why they wouldn't offer a substantial dessert with dinner while they offer dessert for lunch.

For the flights I've been on, I've gotten my meal preference and have had friendly and crew who want to be there. What I don't like is the FA's who take ages to emerge behind that red curtain, it really dosen't take 30 minutes to plate and deliver a medium sized meal to 3 - 4 people in the J cabin. The more experienced FA's I've dealt with have put all the hot items in the oven prior to take off.

That's one of the largest problems - everything is so random (food, service standards etc.) You can have a great dessert with a snack meal, yet they give two chocolates with dinner (and that coughpy green bowl of plain warm salad leaves). Some crew are fantastic, and some should be left behind. I'll have a good flight, tell someone about it - and they have a cough flight which makes me look like a dill and loses VA another possible customer.

 

[dk4]

... it doesn't make sense why they wouldn't offer a substantial dessert with dinner while they offer dessert for lunch.

Yes it does they offer a side salad with dinner (and the chocolates) instead of a dessert. (Lunch does not come with a side salad.)

This thread has become very too long, but this information is already contained within it!

Dinner - with side salad in the bowl (plus chocolate box & salad dressing on the tray)

Lunch - with dessert in the bowl

FWIW, in the mornings, you will find fruit in the bowl!

 

[smit0847]

I would much rather a dessert than a bowl of limp, boring salad leaves. Dinner is usually the most substantial meal of the day and the on board meals should reflect this. I think if you are paying $700+ for a J ticket you should at least have the choice of a side salad OR dessert (ideally both).

Im going to escalate this to the 'ask VFF' thread to see if others agree.

 

[toowongman]

Yes it does they offer a side salad with dinner (and the chocolates) instead of a dessert.

No it doesn't (make sense). A dinner should have more food in total than a snack. Two chocolate-coated nuts do not count for a dessert. And the bowl of plain green leaves is not a side-salad. For the money/points we expect more than that.

 

[Plutonus]

We both went for the beef and it was delicious - certainly the best non-breakfast J meal I've had.

Agreed. I had this on MEL-OOL last week and was the best J meal I've had.

Something I've noticed is some CSMs are actively policing the overhead storage in J and moving Y passengers along when they try and put their bags up there. On an E90 flight the bins had 'Business class only' printed on them. Anyone else noticed this?

 

[dzinh]

Going with what the majority of the crowd says then yes, I believe a substantial dessert item should be available for dinner, the salad should stay as it balances out the meal followed by dessert a la 330 style(trays cleared, dessert and cheese offered).

I for one like to eat salad/ veggies with my dinner as I find I can't consume a piece of steak or chicken without anything green and nutritious on the side followed by something sweet to complete my meal, maybe they could take 737 J and enhance it by adding liqueur or dessert wines.

 

[dzinh]

Agreed. I had this on MEL-OOL last week and was the best J meal I've had.

Something I've noticed is some CSMs are actively policing the overhead storage in J and moving Y passengers along when they try and put their bags up there. On an E90 flight the bins had 'Business class only' printed on them. Anyone else noticed this?

OT,

If I found any bags that doesn't belong to J pax in my overhead space then that bag will respectively sit on the floor in the gallery with the FA's. I've taken someone's bag from J to the very back row of Y for my entertainment before so I'm game to do it again. DYKWIA, FF's or not, you can't have the best of both worlds, plus regulars who play the game enough should already know the rules, there are other DWYKIA and WP's.

 

[JessicaTam]

If I found any bags that doesn't belong to J pax in my overhead space then that bag will respectively sit on the floor in the gallery with the FA's. I've taken someone's bag from J to the very back row of Y for my entertainment before so I'm game to do it again. DYKWIA, FF's or not, you can't have the best of both worlds, plus regulars who play the game enough should already know the rules, there are other DWYKIA and WP's.

I suggest you don't broach the whole Y HL in J topic. Last time it came up in a thread it degenerated into quite a nasty slanging match.

 

[dzinh]

Thanks for the reminder JessicaTam, slightly off topic and I shall leave it at that. Getting back to J catering, I like the variety on ofer at the moment but do find the servings to be small.

I suggest you don't broach the whole Y HL in J topic. Last time it came up in a thread it degenerated into quite a nasty slanging match.

 

[hummel]

I flew HKT-PER-MEL in J over the weekend.

The HKT-PER is only a supper service (which the CSM apologised a great deal for) and did offer anything off the menu, could be plated up etc. I wasn't too hungry and instead polished off a bottle of wine. Nicole (I think it was) was really on top of her game, and the best FA I've ever had the pleasure to deal with. No pictures.. probably to do with the wine.

PER-MEL was downgraded to 737 with no notification, meal service was still good but the FA's were run off their feet getting everything out with Brooke who was looking after J being required to help out in Y later on. All the staff weren't too happy that it was the 737 and they said the A330 is much easier to run. Again the crew was fantastic especially Brooke, however the VA back end let the team down.

 

[JessicaTam]

I flew HKT-PER-MEL in J over the weekend.

...

View attachment 16402

Now that looks like a proper cheese plate.

 

[hummel]

Now that looks like a proper cheese plate.

And it was pretty tasty too!

 

[cityloop]

I flew HKT-PER-MEL in J over the weekend.

The HKT-PER is only a supper service (which the CSM apologised a great deal for) and did offer anything off the menu, could be plated up etc. I wasn't too hungry and instead polished off a bottle of wine. Nicole (I think it was) was really on top of her game, and the best FA I've ever had the pleasure to deal with. No pictures.. probably to do with the wine.

PER-MEL was downgraded to 737 with no notification, meal service was still good but the FA's were run off their feet getting everything out with Brooke who was looking after J being required to help out in Y later on. All the staff weren't too happy that it was the 737 and they said the A330 is much easier to run. Again the crew was fantastic especially Brooke, however the VA back end let the team down.

Looks great.

 

[robd]

View attachment 16402

What is the dark coloured block next to the grapes?

 

[serfty]

What is the dark coloured block next to the grapes?

Quince Paste/Jelly - apparently all good cheese plates should have some...

 

[robd]

Quince Paste/Jelly - apparently all good cheese plates should have some...

Ah yes - of course. I like it.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Some photos from last weekend's flights
NTL-BNE Breakfast

BNE-MEL Snack

MEL-BNE Snack

BNE-NTL Snack


My favourite of the above was the pie :shock: ( I never normally eat pies or pastry)

The trans-con pics are too dark to post. I had the braised beef with skordalia on my BNE-PER flight and couldn't eat it as the texture was gelatinous. The entree and cheese plate were very good.

 

[Mondo]

Will be flying J PER-DRW on VA1433 departing 08:15. Will I be served breakfast or a morning snack? Or should I eat in the lounge before boarding.....